05-31-16 USDA NASS Colorado Agricultural Prices…

The April Prices Received Index (Agricultural Production), at 93.0, increased 0.2 percent from March 2016. At 86.5, the Crop Production Index increased 4.2 percent. At 97.8, the Livestock Production Index decreased 2.4 percent. Producers received higher prices for broilers, soybeans, lettuce, and hogs but lower prices for cattle, eggs, calves, and milk. Compared with a year earlier, the Prices Received Index is down 10 percent, the Crop Production Index decreased 2.4 percent and the Livestock Production Index declined 16 percent. In addition to prices, the indexes are influenced by the monthly mix of commodities producers market. Increased monthly movement of strawberries, milk, oranges, and broilers offset the decreased marketing of corn, dry beans, cattle, and soybeans. The Food Commodities Index, at 96.8, decreased 0.5 percent from the previous month and is down 13 percent from April 2015.

April Prices Paid Index Down 0.5 Percent

The April Index of Prices Paid for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 106.6, is down 0.5 percent from March 2016 and down 4.2 percent from April 2015. Lower prices in April for feeder cattle, concentrates, wage rates, and feeder pigs more than offset higher prices for hay & forages, diesel, gasoline, and nitrogen.